Reproduction and Meiosis

Yeast are single-celled microorganisms and are a type of fungi. Yeast cells are eukaryotic.

Reproduces asexually.

They are gentically identical.

1. The parent yeast cell swells on one side, forming a bud at the surface of the cell.

2. The cell undergoes interphase - the DNA and organelles are replicated ready for the cell to divide.

3. The cell begins to undergo mitosis - the replicated DNA, cytoplasm and organelles move into the bud.

4. Nuclear division is complete - the budding cell contains a nucleus that has an identical copy of the parent cells' DNA.

5. Cytokinesis occurs and the bud pinches off from the parent cell, producing a new, genetically identical yeast cell.

Sexual Reproduction

Gametes are the sperm cells in males and egg cells in females. In sexual reproduction two gametes join together and a fertilisation to form a zygote occurs, which divides and develops into a new organism.